Life with Dory
by shopgirl152
Summary: Ever since Dory entered Marlin's life, things have been interesting
1. Part I: Waiting

"Is he home yet?"

"No."

"Is he home yet?"

"No."

"Is he home yet?"

"No, Dory, he is not home yet." Marlin rolled his eyes, looking at the blue tang fish with a mixture of annoyance and amusement. Ever since Dory had entered his life…well…things had been interesting. Marlin swam in circles, waiting for the next response, mentally counting the seconds.

"Is he home _now_?"

"No Dory he is not home now!"

"What's the matter Mr. Grumpy gills?" Dory looked at Marlin, her lips forming a pout. "Do you miss Fabio too?"

"Nemo."

"Nemo. Right."

Marlin shook his head, scanning the reef beds for Nemo. He felt Dory swim up next to him, her tail swishing impatiently.

"P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney. Hey! I still remember it!" Marlin smirked; at least it was something different. "Hey, Mar…Marky."

"Marlin."

"Marlin. Right. Hey Marlin?"

"What is it Dory?"

Dory paused, scanning the reef beds. "Is he home yet?"

"Ugh!"


	2. Part II: Fish are Friends, Not Food

"Dory! Dory! Wake up!" Nemo swam around the anemone, jumping up and down on Dory.

"Sea Monkey…"

"Dory, wake up! You're going to be late for your shark meeting!"

Dory's eyes popped open; she swam up immediately. "Sharks?! Where?! Where are the sharks?" She turned toward Nemo, extending her fin. "Hi, I'm Dory."

Nemo fought back a laugh, extending his fin. "Hi, I'm Nemo."

"Nice to meet you Nemo. Now, what's this about a shark meeting?"

"You have a shark meeting today remember? Bruce came by the other day to remind you; he scared half the reef."

"Shark meeting?" Dory closed her eyes in concentration. "Shark meeting. Shark meeting. Shark meeting. Bruce. Oh!" Her eyes popped open. "I remember! I have a shark meeting today!" She looked around the anemone. "Uh…uh…oh! I'm supposed to bring a fish friend!" She turned toward Nemo. "Hey! You're a fish!"

Nemo rolled his eyes. "Of _course_ I'm a fish."

"Hey, you wanna be my fish friend?"

"I dunno…"

"Aw, come on; it'll be fun."

"Well…okay."

"Yay!"

"_What?!_" Marlin raced into the anemone, frantic. "No, Nemo cannot be your fish friend! It's to dangerous!" He turned to Nemo. "Nemo, you are not going to the shark meeting."

"But Dad—"

"No buts. It's to dangerous and you are not a fast swimmer!"

"Aw, come on Dad."

Dory chimed in. "Yeah, come on Dad."

"No."

"But Dad…" Nemo growled in frustration. "I can do this! I escaped from the dentist, didn't I?"

"Well…yes."

"And I told all the fish in the net to swim down, didn't I?"

"Yes Nemo, you did."

"So why can't I go with Dory?"

"Because Dory—" Marlin broke off, realizing that Dory was staring intently at the both of them. "Uh, Dory, could you excuse us for a minute?"

"Kay." She smiled, still staring.

"Uh—"

"Don't worry Dad, I'll handle it. Hey Dory, Sea Monkey!"

"Sea Monkey?! Where?!" With that, Dory raced around the anemone, frantically looking for the Sea Monkey.

Nemo crossed his fins, smirking. "I can distract Dory. But, come on Dad, what's wrong with going to the shark meeting with Dory?"

"The problem with going to the shark meeting with Dory is that…you're going with Dory."

"Huh?"

"Dory wouldn't be able to protect you; she gets distracted easily and she's…forgetful. Plus, sharks are very fast; they can hurt you if you're not careful."

"But…Bruce is a nice shark."

"Yes he is. Until he smells blood."

"But there won't be any blood! Come on Dad. Please?"

"Yeah Dad. Please?" Dory swam up beside Nemo, echoing the plea.

Marlin looked at the pair of them; there was no way he was going to win this battle. "Okay, you can go to the shark meeting."

"Yay!"

"On one condition."

"What's that?"

"I go with you."

Dory swam around in circles excitedly. "Yay! Marco's going with us!"

"Marlin."

"Right. Marlin."

"Come on, let's go!" Dory and Nemo swam out to the reef beds, Marlin swimming behind. Dory grinned. "You'll like this place Nemo; they have balloons!"

"No, they don't."

Dory turned to look at Marlin. "No balloons?"

"Nope."

"Oh." The blue tang scrunched her face up in concentration. "Did we pop them?"

"Yep."

"Was it fun?!"

Marlin sighed. "No Dory, it wasn't."


	3. Part III: Brushing

"Ow!" Dory stared at the swaying fronds on the sea anemone. She tentatively stuck a fin out, touching another frond. "Ow! That hurts!"

"Dory, what's all the commotion?" Marlin swam through the swaying fronds, watching as Dory jumped back in surprise.

Dory turned around, looking at Marlin, pointing to the sea anemone. "It bit me!"

"It bit you? Here, let me see." Marlin swam over, gently taking Dory's fin in his. He frowned, noticing a slight burn mark on her fin. "Dory, have you been brushing?"

"Uh…let me think…oh! Yeah! Yeah, I've been brushing."

"When did you last brush?"

"Uh…" She scrunched her face up in concentration. "P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney."

"Dory, when did you last brush?" Marlin stated the question slowly, allowing the blue tang's mind to process the complicated question.

"Um…last week?"

"Last week?! Dory, that's to long a time to go without brushing! If you go without brushing for a week, the sea anemone will sting you! Don't you know anything?!" Marlin panted, trying to calm down.

"I know P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney."

Marlin pinched the bridge of his nose with his fin before speaking. He took a deep breath. "Okay. Dory, I have told you time and again to brush every single day. Now, we're going to have to train the anemone not to sting you. But, you have to do what I say."

"Oooo! Like my conscience?"

"Yes, like your conscience. Are you ready?"

"I'm ready!"

"Okay. Now, I want you to swim up to the anemone and gently touch it with the very tip of your fin." He watched as Dory tentatively swam up to the one of the fronds, gently touching the tip of her tail to it. "Good. Now, do you feel anything?"

"No."

"Good. The tail is the least sensitive part of the body. Still feel nothing?"

"Yep!"

"Okay, now…Dory, what are you doing?" The blue tang was swishing her tail from side to side, causing the anemone fronds to move.

"I'm brushing my tail! It's fun! Whack! Take that you…you…"

"Anemone."

"Anemone. What's next Martin?"

"Marlin."

"Marlin. Right. What's next?"

"Well, now you take your left fin and gently touch the tip of it to the anemone and—"

"Wheeee! Look at me!" Marlin watched in horror as Dory darted in and out of the anemone, racing through the fronds. "This is fun! I wish Fabio was here!"

"Ne—nevermind. Dory, what are you doing?! I thought you said it stung you?!"

"It stung me?" She came to stop in front of Marlin, grinning. "What do you mean? It didn't sting me; I brushed yesterday."

"What?! Dory, you—you—how…?"

"Short term memory loss. I must have forgotten."

Marlin slapped his fin to his forehead as Dory continued to race through the fronds.


	4. Part IV: Fishy Actors

"Come on Dad! Come on Dory! Hurry up!" Nemo raced ahead of Marlin and Dory, anxious to get to the EAC before dark. "Come on guys! I wanna see Squirt!"

"Nemo, don't go to far ahead; I need to keep you in sight."

"Ugh! Dad!"

"We can turn around if you want."

"Aw, we can't turn around!" Dory whined to Marlin.

Marlin rolled his eyes. "And why would that be?"

"Because…because…hey! Look!" Dory pointed up ahead to a school of silvery fish that we slowly making their way toward them.

Marlin groaned. "Great. The fish actors."

Nemo stopped, staring at the silvery fish. "Dad, what are those?"

"Those are actor fish. Come on, let's swim this way." He put a fin around Nemo's back, prepared to lead him in the opposite direction, when Dory raced up to the school of fish.

"Hi there!"

"Dory, no!"

One of the fish spoke, though which one was anybody's guess; the fish all looked the same. "Well well! If it isn't the blue tang we saw a month ago! How are you little lady?"

"I'm great! How are you guys?"

"Oh, we're fine! Hey, did you ever find the EAC?"

"Oh, we're on our way there right now!" Nemo swam up next to Dory, entranced by the school of fish who seemed to move as one.

"Hey there! You look just like a big grumpy fish we saw a month ago! In fact, he was with you, little lady." The fish turned to Dory, rearranging themselves to look like Marlin, except with a grumpy frown. "He looked like this!"

Nemo chuckled. "That's my Dad!"

The fish turned to Marlin, who swam up on Dory's other side. "He's your Dad?!"

"Yep!"

The fish swam over to Marlin, still rearranged to look like him. "Hey, Mr. Grumpy, did you ever lighten up?" The fish rearranged themselves so the Marlin look-a-like was smiling.

"Yes, I did. Now, if you'll excuse me, we're on our way to the EAC and we'd like to get there before dark."

The fish rearranged themselves so the Marlin look-a-like was frowning. "You haven't lightened up!" The fish turned to Nemo. "Hey kid, does your Dad ever smile?"

"Uh…sometimes. He does when he looks at Dory."

"Aw! How sweet!" The fish rearranged themselves into a giant heart. "Looks like the clown fish has a lady fish friend!"

Marlin felt himself blush. "She is not my lady fish friend!"

Dory looked at Marlin, swimming over to him. "I'm not? But…I'm a fish…and I'm your friend."

"Don't forget lady," piped up the fish, rearranging themselves to look like a human female. One of the fish let out a whistle.

"Yeah. I'm a lady too!" Dory looked at Marlin indignantly. "But…I'm also a fish. Wait, what's a lady?"

"Well…uh…" Marlin faltered, searching for something to say. He shook his head. "Come on Dory, Nemo, time to go."

"Aw! Can't we stay and watch the fish? I like them!"

"Yeah Dad, can we?" Nemo echoed Dory's question.

"Well…."

"Aw come on! Let your son and your lady fish friend have some fun." The fish rearranged themselves to spell out the word FUN.

"Hey look! It says…" Dory stared at the words, sounding them out. "F-FU-"  
The fish chuckled. "Sound it out little lady."

"F-UN. Ooo! FUN!"

"Good job!" The fish rearranged themselves into fireworks that appeared to be going off.

Marlin sighed as the fish continued to entertain Dory and Nemo with their various antics. He swam in circles, finally deciding to enjoy it. He swam over to Dory, staying next to her, a small smile on his lips.


	5. Part V: Dory's Squishy

Dory swam through the ocean, making her way home from another weekly shark meeting. The meeting had been very good today; Bruce had kept his cool and Dory hadn't had a fish in weeks. She sang as she swam.

"Keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming, swimming, oh ho ho ho. Oh…hey! What's this?" She stopped, looking intently at something in the distance. She swam up to it. "Hey! It's another squishy! You are squishy and I will call you my squishy. Squishy two." She smiled. "Come on Squishy, come here boy, that's a good Squishy. Hey! Wanna come home with me?" The jellyfish seemed to nod, following after her. "Good Squishy!"

* * *

"I'm gonna getcha ya!"

"No!"

"I'm gonna getcha ya!" Marlin raced after Nemo, trying to tag him.

"No way Dad! Even with my lucky fin, I'm still faster than you!"

"Oh really?"

"Yeah!"

"Well…come here!" Marlin swooped over Nemo in one smooth motion, tackling him to the ground, tickling him.

Nemo laughed, gasping for breath. Dad…wait…stop!"

"Oh, I don't think so; not til you say jellyfish!"

"Jellyfish! Jellyfish!"

"You give?"

"I give! I said jellyfish!" Marlin let go of his son, swimming upwards, trying to catch his breath. "Wow Dad, I didn't know you were that fast!"

"I'll have you know that when I was in school, I was…" Marlin stared across the reef as Dory swam up, a baby jellyfish bobbing behind her. He swam up to her. "What is that?!"

"Another Squishy! Squishy Two! Isn't he cute?!" Dory patted the top of the jellyfish's head affectionately.

"Oh sure, you forget everything else except the dangerous jellyfish you named Squishy," Marlin mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"What's that?" Nemo swam up next to Marlin, pointing to the jellyfish.

"It's a Squishy!" Dory smiled triumphantly.

"What's a squishy?"

"A squishy," Marlin glared at the jellyfish. "A squishy is what Dory calls a jellyfish."

"It's cute. Can we keep it?"

"Yeah Marco—"

"Marlin."

"Marlin. Right. Marlin, can we keep Squishy?"

"No."

Nemo pouted. "Awww, why not?"

"Because a jellyfish is a very dangerous pet. I mean, it looks cute now, but when it's bigger, it will sting us."

"The anemone stings; we just have to brush to make sure it's used to us and doesn't sting us."

"That's an entirely different thing Nemo."

"It is?"

"Yes. Remember when you first met Dory and she had those scars on her fins?"

"Scars? What scars?" Dory lifted up a fin, swimming around and around, trying to get a good look at it. "I don't see any scars."

"They're faded. Anyway…"

"Scars fade?"

"Yes Dory, they fade. Where's Squishy?"

"He's over—Squishy!" Dory raced after Squishy, who was bobbing far out to sea. "Bad Squishy!"

Marlin rolled his eyes, turning back to Nemo. "Remember the story I told you? When we raced through the jellyfish forest? That's where those scars came from."

Nemo looked down. "We can't let Dory keep Squishy Dad; she'll get hurt."

"I know son. Stay here." Marlin swam out to Dory, who was attempting to teach Squishy tricks.

"Jump over the rock Squishy! Over the rock! That rock; over there. Come on, good Squishy!" Marlin smiled, then swam up to Dory. "Look! He knows tricks!"

"Listen Dory, I know you like Squishy, but…we can't keep him." Dory's face fell. "But…why? I'll take care of him."

"I know you will, but Dory…he's to dangerous. He'll hurt us."

"No he—ow!" She jerked back a fin. "He stung me!"

Marlin gently took her fin in his; the sting wasn't to bad. "That's why we can't keep him."

"But…but…"

"You love Squishy, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Then you have to do what's best for him. That means setting him free."

Dory's lip quivered, then straightened up. "Really? I have to let him go?"

"Yes."

"Okay. "Come here Squishy, come here!" The jellyfish bobbed over. "Good Squishy!"

Marlin smiled. "Okay, let's take him home."

* * *

A few minutes later, Dory and Marlin were swimming several feet from the jellyfish forest.

Marlin gently prodded Dory, who had Squishy next to her. "Come on Dory, tell him good-bye."

Dory turned to the baby jellyfish, patting him on the head. "Good-bye Squishy." She watched sadly as the tiny jellyfish bobbed it's way into the jellyfish forest. "I'm gonna miss him."

"I know, but it's for the best." Marlin turned toward Dory, noticing a single tear slide down her face. Without thinking, he leaned in, kissing the tear away.

Dory sniffed. "What was that for?"

Marlin blushed. "I-I don't like seeing you cry."

"Oh." She put a fin to her cheek, smiling. "It felt nice."

"It did?"

"Yeah. No one's ever been this nice to me before."

Marlin smiled warmly, gently taking her fin in his. "I'll always be nice to you. Come on, let's go home."

Dory took one last look at the jellyfish forest before letting Marlin lead her away. She sniffed again, then brightened. "Marco?"

"Marlin."

"Marlin. Right. Marlin?"

"Yes Dory?"

"Can I have a pet?"

Marlin smiled. "Sure Dory, you can have a pet."

"Ooo! Ooo! I want a shark!"

"No sharks."

"Aw. Can't we adopt Bruce? He's been fish free for two months!"

"I'm sure he has, but no sharks; our anemone isn't big enough."

"How about a…a…sea cucumber?!"

"No."

"Mollusk?"

"No."

"A pelican?"

"Dory, I don't want to adopt a pet that will eat me."

"Oh. How about a…a…"

"How about a sea sponge?"

"Ooo! Ooo! Can I name it Squishy?!"

Marlin chuckled. "You can name it whatever you want."

THE END


End file.
